"I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iran gunboats if they harass our ships at sea," Trump said via Twitter.
Trump's remark comes a week after the US Navy accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of making "dangerous and harassing approaches" against US naval ships operating in international waters of the North Arabian Gulf. However, Iran rejected the accusation.
"11 Iran #IRGCN vessels repeatedly conducted dangerous & harassing approaches against U.S. naval ships operating in international waters of the North Arabian Gulf. US crews took actions deemed appropriate to avoid a collision," the US Navy had tweeted on April 16.
On Sunday, IRGC said in a statement that the US Navy "has presented an incorrect and agenda-fuelled narrative of this encounter" and labelled the US account as a "Hollywood tale".
Though unrelated, Trump's tweet followed launch of first military satellite by Iran.
( With inputs from ANI )